The primary component of our "White Oak" ale is a 100% barrel aged wheat wine that we affectionately refer to as "White Oak Sap." Essentially a "summer" barley-wine style ale, but made with a wheat heavy grain base, White Oak Sap is aged in used bourbon barrels for nearly a year and comes out rich in flavors of coconut, honey, caramel and vanilla. To compliment the already rich flavors of the beer, we've added cacao nibs and vanilla beans to give this beer the delicate flavor of white chocolate...hence the name.

750mL bottle acquired through the Reserve Society. No bottle date but I believe it has only been bottled once in late 2012. Served in a Terrapin snifter.

Pours a hazy opaque lemon orange hue with about a half finger pale head. The head quickly recedes to a halo that leaves no lace. I don't think I've ever seen such a pale hue with this much opacity. Not cloudy but no transparency. It's a beauty.

Wow! Smells like straight up white chocolate with vanilla, bourbon, wax, a sweet fruit character and a whiff of alcohol.

My nose wasn't lying. A deliciously complex blend of flavors including vanilla, sweet cream, white chocolate, bourbon, honey, caramel, some sort of funky fruity yeast type notes, candy sugar, sweet wax and a sharp swift kick of booze that seems right at home in the mixture. As it gets to room temperature the flavors really open up even more. Amazing!

The feel is slightly effervescent but with a nice syrupy heavyness. Long sweet waxy white chocolate aftertaste.

I'll admit that as a huge fan of both wheatwines and white chocolate that I may be predisposed towards this but The Bruery has done a truly outstanding job here. Every aspect has been nailed. Hands down the best wheatwine I've had and definately in my top 3-5 beers. I'm super excited for the chance to buy more when they release it later this year.

Didn't know what to think about this beer before I tried it. I really thought I wasn't going to like it. Instead it is one of my favorite beers out there. It actually taste like white chocolate. It is beyond delicious. The bottom of the bottle gets a little murky but the flavor is still there. I love this beer!

2012 edition. I tried an infected 2013 version and, while interesting, wasn't appropriate to review.

A: Ripe apricot. Hazy. Barely any lacing.

S: Big bourbon barrel character with caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch.

T: Very hot. Once the booze burn dissipates you get a wash of vanilla and caramel. The cacao nibs aren't particularly noticeable but that may be the light color affecting my experience of the flavor. There's an apple-esque tartness in the finish; not an infection tartness but perhaps some esters from the base wheatwine.

M: Not as thick as I had anticipated but very hot. The burn runs from the mouth all the way to the stomach.

O: It's a pleasure finally getting to try this. A beautiful scent, a good flavor. Was it worth the hunt? Perhaps, perhaps not. I am, however, looking forward to trying the next version.

Updated for 2014 edition:

T: Not as hot. Lots of caramel, vanilla, and the oaky/coconut flavors of the wood. This is exactly what I was hoping for when I tried it the first time.

O: Amazing. Drink this one fresh-ish so that the vanilla doesn't fall off too much.

Deep opaque reddish orange body color, quite an impressive light khaki colored head as well, reaching an easy three fingers, with light retention. Settles to easily a fat finger with sheets of ring like lace. The faintest bit of slow rising carbonation just barely can be seen on the glasses edge.

Many does the aroma hit pay dirt. Soft caramel and butterscotch like aromas, mixing in with real big vanilla tones. Yup as true to the bottle a buttery cocoa kicks in smelling just like white chocolate. Aromas are also nice and soft not overpowering either, with much complexity and exploring to take into. Great smelling brew.

Oh man. This beer delivers in spades. A surprising light bodied feel for a wheatwine, but certainly not wet and lacks a bit of chewy character, still providing a wonderful almost silky coating. That's the few minimal criticisms though. The flavors are just gangbusterrs. Mid palate hits with a light toffee crisp, touches of caramel waffer. The aftertastes is just a bursting vanilla and buttery cocoa, and truly tastes like cocoa butter. True white chocolate. Stunning. Like drinking a waffer white chocolate crisp in hand. Light touches of milk, and minimal sugars, a hint of little bitterness too with some light oak flavors as well.

I am speechless, I never thought this could actually happen, but there is the craft creating and barrel magic happening right there in print. This is one of those rare beers where I wish I could have this every day. I don't know how this gets more impressive as a wheat wine, maybe some more dense body, but then it could ruin it. I want a case. It will just hurt when I finish this in 5 minutes cause it will be over.

Appearance: Pours a beautiful, completely opaque, golden color, speckled with lots of orange highlights, and a quarter of a finger of white-colored head that quickly dissolved away into a thin lacing of foam that almost completely covered the top of the beer.

Aroma: Very aromatic, with lots of toasted malt, citrus, such as orange and a touch of lemon, and tons of chocolate. Such a unique smelling beer. Bright and inviting.

Taste: Wow! Delicious!! Lots of malt and wheat up front, bready and earthy, immediately followed by tons of vanilla bean, some pronounced citrus, almost a touch of sour, some candied sugar-like sweetness, nice hints of bourbon and oak, and finished by lots of earthy semi-sweet chocolate. Absolutely unique and delicious!

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and nicely effervescent as there’s quite a bit of carbonation to tickle the taste buds and lift the chocolate over the palate. With an ABV of 14.3%, there is a pleasant alcohol warmth on the palate.

Overall: This is an exceptional, totally unique and delicious beer. So many complex, layers of flavor. Bready, boozy, sour, sweet, outstanding.

Before even seeing this bottle, and knowing little about The Bruery (had only tried the Tart of Darkness prior). First nose and sip I was convinced this was a sour. A delicious one at that. Was drunk at a bottle share so can't say much about my 2-3oz pour. But later found out that this was totally infected. Hoping to try it non-infected but would gladly buy this as a sour.